Dispensing device



' June 15, 1948. l B. w. SCHWARTZET AL 2,443,520

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1945 INVENTORFI,

Patented June 15, 1948 DISPENSING DEVICE Beth Wolan'Schwartz and Myron E. Schwarta, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October" 22, 194-5, Serial No. 623,716 40mins. (01. 312-50) 1 This invention relates to dispensing devices or units, and, as illustrated and disclosed herein, the invention is embodied in anarticle designed to remove one by one a plurality of stacked fabric articles from a container.

Acommon article of commerce today is the socalled cleansing pad whichis employedin the application and removal oicosmetics and for numerous other purposes. These pads have small tenacious particles protruding from their exposed surfaces, and, when placed in stacked relationship with one another these extremities or particleshave atendency to intertwine with one another, making it difficult to separate and remove the articles one by one. Particularly is it difiicult to remove them mechanically from a container as contrasted with separating and removing them manually.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a dispensing unit which is sanitary, in the sense that it encloses the articles within a container, and is practicable in that it is provided with mechanical means for efiecting automatic removal of articles from the container one by one through the provision of a simple, eflicient and novel device. Thus, cleansing pads may be stacked within the container for sanitary purposes as well as convenience and thereafter may be quickly removed one by one through the simple manipulation of a closure member with which the container is provided.

Although the invention is disclosed herein primarily in connection with a unit adapted to dispensing cleansing pads, it will be appreciated, of course, that the use of the invention extends beyond the particular article dispensed and comprehends the dispensing of any article or articles having physical characteristics which lend themselves to the use of the type of dispensing unit disclosed herein.

As shown in the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of a dispensing unit constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical view, in section, through the longitudinal axis of the container shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical view in section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken through the line 44 of Fi 2.

As shown in the drawing, a dispensing unit 2 is provided with an elliptical body portion 4 having a cylindrical screw threaded neck portion 6, which latter is provided with a closure member 8 having threaded engagement with the neck portion. A

plurality of pads or cleansing tissues are shown in the bottom of the containerand these articles, which appear in stackedrelationship, are likewise elliptical for a purpose which will presently he described.

Depending from the closure member 8 is an engaging and separating member comprising a sleeve ill and a plunger 12 mounted'within the sleeve for telescopic movement with respectthereto. A slot It and a pin it prevent relative rotation between the sleeve and the plunger while still permitting the'telescopic action to take place. A spring I8 affiords a resilient cushion for the plunger l2 and tends to urge the latter'in the direction of the bottom of the container or body portion 4.

Afiixed to the lower extremity of the plunger I2 is a disc ll provided with teeth IQ for engaging the exposed surface of the uppermost article within the stack A.

In operation, when the closure member 8 is rotated in order to disengage it from the body portion 4 of the unit the engaging and separating member is likewise rotated, causing the teeth l9 to engage the soft face of the topmost pad. The teeth penetrate the surface and when the closure 8 is removed the uppermost pad is likewise removed, afiixed to the teeth, and may be readily removed from the latter by hand. To prevent the pads from rotating within the container when they are frictionally engaged by the teeth I9, the container is formed with a non-circular cross section and the pads are formed in a form or shape that accommodates them to the irregular shape of the container. Thus, as illustrated, the container is elliptical and the pads are likewise elliptical and friction between the pads and the walls of the container will prevent relative rotation between the two and insures suitable engagement between the teeth and the pads.

It is to be understood that various modifications in the construction and design of the article may take place without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth herein. Thus, the screw threaded engagement between the closure and the container may be replaced by other suitable means, the shape of the container may be altered and the articles dispensed may vary from time to time, all within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

Having thus described the invention what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A dispensing unit of the character described, comprising, in combination, a container having an opening therein, a closure removably having rotatable inter-locking engagement with the container and adapted to close said opening and means associated with said closure for engaging one of a plurality of articles within the container when the closure is rotated to disengage it from the container, whereby removal of said closure from said opening results in the removal of one of said plurality of articles from said container.

2. A dispensing unit of the character described, comprising, in combination, a container having a cylindrical neck portion affording access to the container, a closure adapted removably to engage the cylindrical neck portion, and means associated with the closure for engaging one of a plurality of stacked articles within the container to effect separation of one of said articles from said stack upon rotation and disengagement of said closure from said cylindrical neck portion.

3. A dispensing unit of the character described, comprising, in combination, a, container having a non-circularly shaped body portion, a cylindrically formed hollow neck portion affording access to the interior of the body portion, a closure member adapted to engage the cylindrically formed neck portion, and an engaging and separating member depending from the closure member for engaging one of a plurality of non-circularly shaped articles stacked within the container, when the closure member is rotated with respect to said neck portion, whereby removal of said closure member from said neck portion results in the removal of one of said plurality of articles from said container.

4. A dispensing unit of the character described, comprising, in combination, a container having a non-circularly shaped body portion, a cylindrically shaped hollow neck portion extending from the body portion to afiord access to the interior thereof, a closure for the cylindrically shaped neck portion, and an engaging and separating member depending from the closure for engaging one of a plurality of stacked fabric articles Within the body portion when the closure is rotated, said engaging and separating member being provided with teeth for engaging the uppermost article in the stack and being provided with resilient means for urging the teeth in the direction of the bottom of the container as the stack of fabric articles decreases in height.

BETH WOLAN SCHWARTZ. MYRON E. SCHWARTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1896 Number Number 

